Flip cover adapter for a hand-held computer

ABSTRACT

An adapter clip for a hand held computer permits attachment of a cover for the computer. The cover is attached to the adapter clip at the top end of the computer body by cylindrical pins, permitting the cover to the flipped up during use of the computer without creating an interference with auxiliaries attached to the computer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to accessaries for hand held computers, such as the Palm™ and Handspring® personal digital assistants (PDA), which have become very popular. More particularly, the invention relates to an adapter which makes it possible to replace the original protective cover for the face of such computers.

[0002] Hand held computers typically have a screen which is protected by a cover mounted on the body of the computer and is removed or lifted out of the way when the computer is in use. The Palm III computer has a cover which is attached by pins at the top of the unit along the sides. The computer communicates with other equipment via an infra-red emitting port which is exposed at the top of the unit and the cover when lifted up does not extend over the end and does not block the infra-red port. The Handspring computer features insertable auxiliaries (e.g. modules) which are attached at the top end of the unit. An infra-red communication port is located at the left side of the unit. The protective cover is attached at both the top and bottom of the unit outside the region in which the auxiliaries are inserted. However, lifting the protective cover tends to interfere with the attachment of the auxiliaries. The present inventors have sought a solution to the problems associated with hand-held computer covers. Their solution is described below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In one aspect, the invention is an adapter which enables similar protective covers to be used on both Palm, Handspring and other hand held computers. The covers are attached by pins extending inwardly from portions of the covers which extend around the sides of the unit at the top. The covers can then be swung upward to expose the face of the computer. Since the Palm computer already uses such an method of attaching the protective cover, no fundamental change is required. The Handspring computer is an example of hand-held computers which do not accept such a cover attachment. The adapter of the invention makes it possible to remove the original cover, if provided and to replace it with a cover which pivots on pins at the top of the unit along the sides.

[0004] Alternatively, if no cover is provided, the adapter of the invention permits one to add a flip cover. The adapter can be described as having a pair of parallel channels which frictionally engage the upper portion of the sides of the computer body, the channels being joined by supporting strip which lies along the upper edge of the computer face. Angled braces extend around the end of the top of the computer to provide a more rigid structure to the adapter. In effect, the adapter is a clip which fits over the hand held computer at its top end and is retained in position by friction. The channels contain a circular opening for accepting the pins on a protective cover to be mounted on the adapter. In addition, a groove or ramp preferably is formed below the circular openings which accept the cover's pins in order to limit the rotation of the cover. The protective cover is snapped over the adapter clip and pins on the cover engage the circular recesses on the adapter, permitting the cover to be retained in place and to be rotated upwardly exposing the face of the computer when in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clip of the invention installed on a hand-held computer with a cover attached.

[0006]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the clip, computer and cover of FIG. 1.

[0007]FIG. 3 is a view of a clip of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] A personal digital assistant is a hand held computer typically sized to conveniently fit in one's hand and having a screen which occupies much of the exposed face of the computer. The owner can enter information or chose from a menu of options using a stylus directly on the face of the computer. Protection may be provided by a cover which extends over the entire face. Access to the face of the computer is obtained by lifting or removing the cover. Preferably, the cover is simply lifted to expose the face of the computer and retained in the open position until it is to be closed again. The Palm III computer is provided with such a liftable cover which is attached to the top of the computer at the sides by pins on the cover which engage openings in the sides of the computer. For other models of hand-held computers not having such a cover, it would be desirable to provide for mounting a flip-type cover. The present invention makes such retrofitting of such flip-type covers possible. In one application, the invention makes possible the addition of a cover to a Handspring hand-held computer.

[0009] A hand-held computer typically may be described as having a flat rectangular shape, usually about 3 by 5 inches and about ⅜ inches thick. The active screen occupies much of the face of the computer. Thus, a protective cover will extend over the entire face and will be attached at the top of the computer so that when the computer is in use, the cover is flipped up, as is done with a conventional paper notebook. While the cover could be attached at the top end, such an arrangement may block access to any auxiliaries which are intended to engage the computer at the top end. Thus, attachment of the cover to the sides of the computer has advantages in leaving the top end of the computer unobstructed.

[0010] The Palm III is one model of a hand-held computer which provides a flip cover which is attached to the top of the computer at the sides, using pins on the cover which engage openings in the side of the computer. The present invention makes it possible to retrofit a similar cover to the top of other hand-held computers, particularly the Handspring models. An adapter clip is frictionally engaged with the sides of the hand-held computer at the top, the clip providing circular openings to which the pins on a cover can be inserted, allowing the cover to be rotated upwardly exposing the face of the computer to the user. The adapter clip may be described as having parallel channels sized to grip the sides of the hand held computer with which it is to be used. In many applications the channels will be shaped to provide complete contact with the sides of the computer. The channels engage the sides of the top portion of the computer firmly, being spaced the proper distance apart by a supporting member attached to one side of each channel. In order to strengthen the clip while still allowing a limited degree of flexibility, angled bracing members are used which extend from one side of the channel supporting member and down to one end of each channel. Although the channels, the supporting member, and the angled braces could be made separately and attached to each other, it is preferred that all the parts be formed as an integral entity by molding of plastic materials, for example clear or colored acrylic polymers.

[0011] A typical adapter clip is shown in FIG. 3. The parallel channels are relatively short, but of sufficient length so that a secure grip on the sides of the hand-held computer is obtained. Although it is not intended that the adapter clip be permanently fixed, it would be feasible to cement the parallel channels to the sides of the computer if the user desired it. The supporting member will usually be about one-half inch wide, sufficient to support the channels and to strengthen the grip on the sides of the computer body. Since the supporting member will also provide a certain amount of resilience, the degree to which it can flex is limited by the angled bracing, which also serves to limit the position of the adapter clip to the top end of the computer. The outer sides of the channels include circular openings to engage the pins on the cover for the computer. Since it is desirable that the cover only traverse about a 90 degree arc from closed to open, stops are provided at the ends of a groove or ramp adjacent to the openings. Adjacent the pins in the cover are projections which engage the grooves or ramps in the adapter clip and limit the movement of the cover.

[0012] The clip may be made of clear plastic material so that it does not significantly affect the appearance of the hand-held computer. Alternatively, colored plastic materials could be used to coordinate with the colors used in the computer. Clear plastic material may have an advantage also when a side of the hand-held computer contains an infra-red port for communicating with other computers or equipment. Another alternative adapter clip could provide a channel through which the infra-red port could transmit information as desired.

[0013] Turning to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view 10 of a clip of the invention 14 installed on a hand-held computer 12, with a detachable cover 16 partially opened to more readily see the clip and its relation to the cover and the computer. The computer is a relatively flat device sized to fit conveniently into a person's hand. The screen is seen on top of the unit; it occupies most of the face of the computer. Since the screen is glass with a membrane on top it is important that it be protected when the computer is not in use. Consequently, a cover is often provided. While the cover could be attached to the computer in many ways it is desirable that it be removable, but at the same time positioned so that it can be easily moved out of the way when the computer is in use. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the cover 16 is attached to the sides of the computer body 12 near the top, thus permitting the cover 16 to be rotated upwardly out of the way, while remaining attached to the body. If a computer 12 is not initially designed to accept a cover of this type it can be adapted to do so by the clip of the invention. The clip 14 is slipped onto the top of the computer body 12, the channels (14 c in FIG. 3) engaging the sides closely and being retained in place by friction. The outside edge of each of the channels 14 c has an opening which accepts the pins (16 a in FIG. 2) positioned on the inside of the cover, as can be seen more clearly in FIG. 2. The two channels 14 c are supported by the supporting strip 14 d which passes over the face of the computer, but out of the way of the screen. Rigidity is added by the angled bracing (14 e in FIG. 3) located on each side, joining the channel and the supporting strip. In preferred embodiments, the inside surfaces of the channels are provided with a shape which closely corresponds to the shape of the sides of the computer with which it is to be used. In FIG. 3, the inside surfaces are slightly concave in order to better engage the sides of a Handspring computer.

[0014] In FIG. 3 the channels are also shown to have openings 14 a positioned on the outside of the channels which receive the pins 16 a on the inside of the cover 16. These openings make it possible to mount the cover 16 on the computer body 12 even if it was not provided with the ability to use such a flip cover. Below the openings 14 a can be seen grooves or ramps 14 b which contain stops to help the cover 16 to remain in the open position. The shape of the grooves or ramps and the stops can be varied as required to suit the cover being used, which may or may not have projections which engage the grooves or ramps. Generally, the computer user would prefer to have the cover 16 and the clip 14 to cooperate so that the cover will be lightly held in the open position until the user wishes to close the cover.

[0015] As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover 16 will preferably be made so that when it is in the open position that space is available for the insertion of auxiliaries at the top of the computer. 

1. An adapter clip for supporting a cover for a hand held computer, said clip comprising: (a) a pair of parallel channels adapted to engage the sides of said hand held computer, said channels each including an opening to receive pins on said cover and a stop to limit rotation of said pins in said opening; (b) a supporting strip connected to said channels, said strip extending over said computer when said channels are engaged with said computer, the supporting strip and channels being reinforced by angled bracing.
 2. An adapter clip of claim 1, wherein said openings in said channels are a recessed circular opening, in each of said channels adapted to receive pins located on the inside edges of the sides of a cover for the face of said computer, the circular openings each being adjacent to a groove containing said stops which limits the movement of the cover when its pins are engaged with the recessed circular openings in said channels.
 3. An adapter clip of claim 1, wherein said parallel channels extend over a minor portion of the side of said computer adjacent to the top of said computer.
 4. An adapter clip of claim 3, wherein said supporting strip is connected to one edge of each of said channels adjacent to the top of said computer.
 5. An adapter clip of claim 1, wherein said parallel channels are adapted to frictionally engage the sides of said computer.
 6. An adapter clip of claim 1, wherein the cover for the face of said computer comprises partial sides extending from the end of said cover adjacent the top of said computer, said sides adapted to engage the exposed sides of said parallel channels.
 7. An adapter clip of claim 1, wherein the inside surfaces of said channels are curved to fully engage the sides of said computer.
 8. An adapter clip of claim 1, wherein said clip is made of clear plastic material, thereby permitting an infra-red port covered by said clip to communicate with associated equipment.
 9. An adapter clip of claim 1, wherein said clip is made of a plastic material colored to coordinate with the color of said computer.
 10. An adapter clip of claim 1, wherein said clip includes an optical channel to assist transmission of light from an infra-red port mounted on the side of said computer. 